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Sydney's best kangaroo

Char-grilled kangaroo and steamed veggies at Blackbird is a healthy choice.Such is the Australian cultural peculiarity that the kangaroo not only adorns the national
emblem and TV shows, but also dinner plates across Sydney.

Lean, healthy and apparently beneficial
as the meat may be, it's probably not surprising that it is tainted with "Skippy Syndrome" -- a public sympathy for not wanting to devour Joey’s mum.

But it's versatile, good value and has the
added kudos of being entirely free-range, unfarmed, methane-free and
sustainably managed. It tastes pretty good, too.

On whichever side of the fence you hop,
here are five takes on a plate of 'roo in Sydney.

Char-grilled 'roo at Blackbird Café

OK, it’s not going to win awards for
originality, but where else can you depend on finding a char-grilled tender kangaroo
loin glazed in chef's special orange marmalade sauce ($29.90) at any time of
the week?

It helps that the 'roo in question is
perfectly cooked and paired with steamed veggies, making it tip-top in the
healthy stakes.

On account of its low fat content,
kangaroo's not the easiest of meats to master, becoming easily overcooked or
tough, so Blackbird's spot-on loin is a rare find: the pink meat and bloody
juices adding umami-laden depth to the sweet citrus sauce.

It's a generous
portion, so bag a window seat and let your meal go down whilst watching the
world -- and tourist boats -- go by.

'Roo pizza at the Australian Hotel

The fair dinkum kangaroo pizza at the Australian Hotel.No quibbling over this one –- get to The
Rocks and tuck into a kangaroo pizza at the heritage-listed Australian Hotel,
equipped with marble wash-rooms and an old-world feel.

A bastion of all things fair dinkum, there
are more than 100 Aussie beers to choose from (no imports) so it may come as no
shock that the kangaroo pizza ($25.90) is the most popular (and certainly least
Italian) pizza on the menu.

Strips of meat are marinated in native
mountain pepper and served with roasted capsicum, cranberries and lots of gooey
cheese. Not the healthiest take on Skippy, but there aren’t many better ways to
fill up whilst sampling the beers and wines amongst colonial charm.

Raw or cooked 'roo at Kingsley’s Steakhouse

There’s an excellent take on the 'roo
fillet here -- a worthy alternative to steak -- served with onion and juniper
jam and a mayo-free Italian coleslaw ($31.50).

Kingsley's also serves the more unusual carpaccio
with celeriac and horseradish remoulade ($17.50), which elevates raw Australian
fare to a thing of elegance and sophistication. The wafer-thin, uncooked, translucent
meat sits delicately alongside the rich, mayo-heavy remoulade.

Up the cosiness ante with a good red wine
and again, 'roo proves its value as a meat for dedicated carnivores –- best raw or cooked
as little as possible.

French 'roo at Restaurant Paradox

The steak tartare at Paradox is the French take on kangaroo.Anachronistic, honest and good value, you
can’t go wrong with a trip to Paradox in Crow's Nest -- especially if you're after a taste of Cordon Bleu cookery. It's not modern, glamorous or
trendy, but what owner and chef Michel Delcour lacks in snootiness, he makes up
for in flawless French food -- and a firmly European take on 'roo.

A kangaroo steak tartare is faultless –
deliciously peppery, bright meat and plenty of punch from capers and shallot
turn the boomer into an entrée of which Escoffier himself would be proud.

Kangaroo fillet with green peppercorn sauce
is a pleasure, too. The sauce -- usually paired with steak –- is rich and fiery
and does well to cut through the subtle gaminess of cooked 'roo. Bon appetit,
mate.

Fillet of 'roo with a view at the Clovelly Hotel

A view of the fillet at the Clovelly Hotel -- that comes with a view.The pub with a decent view is a wonderful
thing -- and The Clovelly Hotel's (or "Cloe") view opens onto the ocean and rocky headlands of the eastern suburbs
shoreline.

Thankfully, its food can stand up to the
setting and their 'roo dish ($26) is no exception. Great value posh pub grub it is -- proven
by the sliver of truffle topping my 200-gram kangaroo fillet.

Things are kept
simple so that flavours aren't hidden -- choose a sauce from the list (the chef
recommends parmesan aioli and gravy on the side and who are we to disagree?),
and pair your posh kangaroo with a big bowl of hot chips and a cold beer. We'll
drink to that.